Problem with anal area

Q: I am wondering if their is something wrong with my 5 month old Yorkie's anus. We saw her scooting on her tush and her back end was full of poop. I gave her a bath and there was a large hard piece we had to cut out. We saw a bit of blood and I was wondering if she has a prolapsed anus. Thank you

A: The accumulation of poop around the anus is frequent in dogs with longer hair. Sometimes it begins with a period of diarrhea but many times the initial clumps are just an accident. Gentle cleaning and or clipping the hair with trimmers is the best course. The anus will appear swollen and irritated but will return to normal in 1-2 days. Often it is best to keep the hair trimmed.